Under the amendment to the country's penal code, offenders convicted of online insults can be jailed for up to one year, or fined 300,000 yen. 9News
The new law was passed on Monday amid rising public concern over cyberbullying sparked by the suicide of a reality television star who had facedUnder the amendment to the country's penal code — set to take effect later this summer — offenders convicted of online insults can be jailed for up to one year, or fined 300,000 yen .
The bill proved controversial in the country, with opponents arguing it could impede free speech and criticism of those in power. Supporters said the tougher legislation was needed to crack down on cyberbullying and online harassment. Under Japan's penal code, insults are defined as publicly demeaning someone's social standing without referring to specific facts about them or a specific action, according to a spokesperson from the Ministry of Justice. The crime is different to defamation, defined as publicly demeaning someone while pointing to specific facts.Seiho Cho, a Japan-based criminal lawyer, warned the revised law gave no classification of what constitutes an insult.
Kimura's mother, former professional wrestler Kyoko Kimura, campaigned for stronger anti-cyberbullying laws after her daughter's death, and set up a non-profit organisation called Remember Hana to raise awareness about cyberbullying.
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